💻Midterm Exam, Hist 1.1: Critical Thinking Questions

Midterm Exam:

**NOTE: THIS EXAM WILL NOT BE TIMED.

Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns. If you need help reviewing the material, you can contact Ruy, me or Tutoring Services (link).

1. You will use to submit this assignment to enhance originality.

2. Submit it just as you would with a homework assignment here on Canvas, you do NOT need to go to the turnitin site. 

3. This exam is similar to your homework assignments, just longer and more thorough. I expect a complete paragraph (5 sentences) for each question.

4. Be aware that quoting the textbook or videos for most of your paragraph will not earn full points. I want your own words and analysis, so do not merely repeat what the book or videos state. 

5. Make sure you answer every section of the question; do not submit partial answers, this will be considered incomplete.

6. Do NOT upload a file for this exam (turnitin doesn't recognize some file formats), write your work on a different program so you can save and edit as you go along, but when you are ready, please copy and paste into Canvas. 

7. Include the number of the question that you are answering so I can give you proper credit.

8. The submission tab is at the bottom of the page. Email me if you have any questions or concerns.

9. Remember that late work is not accepted, unless it is a verifiable emergency, so please complete the exam on time! 

Due Oct 20 at 11:55 pm.

Answer the following questions:

5 points each (50 pts total):

1. Sumerian Civilization: List at least 3 of the major innovations that were developed by the Sumerians and describe how each improved their living conditions.

2. Egyptian Civilization: In what ways were Egyptian religious beliefs unique? In what ways were they similar to other ancient religions? In your opinion, did the ancient Egyptians have a more optimistic or pessimistic attitude towards life and the afterlife?

3. Assyrian Empire: How did the Assyrian's sense of their past influence their idea of ruling and expanding an empire? How would you compare the Assyrian system to the Legalist methods of Ancient China? Why did the Assyrians collect texts and materials from the societies they conquered?

4. Ancient India: What do the material remains of Harappan civilization suggest about their society and government? In what ways were they similar to other ancient civilizations we have studied? In what ways were they unique?

5. Zhou Dynasty: Why did the Zhou Dynasty create the concept of the Mandate of Heaven? How can this idea help a new government create stability? How can the concept also lead to instability and warfare? Why do you think rulers in China would use this concept to claim legitimacy even though it can also lead to their loss of power?

6. Chinese Philosophy: Compare and contrast two of the major philosophies that emerged during the Warring States period in China. Which one would benefit ancient Chinese society the most and why? Which one could easily be applied to our own modern society and why?

7. Qin Empire: Besides political unity, in what other ways did the Qin attempt to create a unified culture in China? How did the Qin use legalism to increase their power and control?

8. How has our perception of the Maya changed in the past decade? What evidence has changed our understanding of their society? What led to their decline? Why could they not prevent this decline?

9. Persian Administration: What characteristics made the Persian Empire different from the previous empires that arose in that part of the world? What were its strengths and what were its weaknesses?

10. Civil War in Rome: How did the Civil War caused by the Second Triumvirate effectively end the Republic? How did this Civil War give rise to the Imperial government?

Expected Learning Outcome:

Students will critically analyze major historical events in World History.

Directions:

• There is no time limit but you must complete the assignment by the due date and you only have 1 attempt. 

• It would be best to complete your work in a different word program and then copy and paste your work onto Canvas.

• Your answers should include some information from the text, videos, and documents--but the whole paragraph should be your ideas and analysis, NOT just quotes from the book and videos.

• Each answer should be at least a paragraph long (5 well-developed sentences), similar to what you have been doing in your homework assignments.

• You must do your own work. You are NOT allowed to copy someone else's answers or to just copy and paste material from the internet, that is plagiarism! If you do, you will receive a zero for the exam

Rubric:

Examine the Exam Rubric in the very first Module for further reference as to how points are allocated.